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An international student learns to make mooncakes. [Photo/tidenews.com.cn]

During the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, Jiaxing welcomed a number of enthusiastic foreign visitors, who immersed themselves in the festive spirit by making mooncakes and experiencing traditional cultural activities.

In Haining's Xiashi sub-district, international students from Zhejiang University and locals gathered to make mooncakes together. In the nearby cultural heritage area, students also tried their hands at making dough figurines, paper-cutting, and lantern crafting.

A Malaysian Chinese student at Zhejiang University shared her feelings about spending her first Mid-Autumn Festival away from home. "Mid-Autumn Festival is important for Chinese people, so when I heard about this event, I signed up immediately. I thought this Mid-Autumn Festival would be lonely, but I found many people like me here, making it a lively and unique experience."

These activities not only comforted those far from home but also left a lasting impression on many of those unfamiliar with Chinese traditional culture.

During the holiday, students from Jiaxing Nanyang Vocational and Technical College watched a shadow puppet show of Journey to the West at the Nanguanxiang Scenic Area in Haining and received guidance from folk artists. Later, they visited the Haining Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum to learn about more traditional culture.

"We combine various Chinese festivals with craft-making experiences to offer international students an immersive environment, allowing them to experience Chinese culture from a fresh perspective," explained Zhang Xueyan, a Chinese language teacher at Jiaxing Nanyang Vocational and Technical College.